BC NDP announces $15/hr commitment

Vancouver – The BC Federation of Labour is applauding John Horgan and the BC NDP for committing to bring the minimum wage up to $15/hour.

“British Columbians are struggling to make ends meet with the ever increasing cost of living and skyrocketing user fees,” said Irene Lanzinger, president of the BC Federation of Labour. “Christy Clark is well-aware that people working full-time in this province and earning the minimum wage are living thousands of dollars below the poverty line, but she just doesn’t care.”

“We welcome the announcement from the BC NDP today. John Horgan gets it - he understands that when you give low-wage workers a fair wage, you are also supporting families, communities and the local economy.”

At a speech this morning in Kamloops, Horgan committed to implementing a $15/hour minimum wage by the end of his first term in office.

“This is exactly the kind of plan we have been asking Christy Clark to implement for close to two years now,” said Lanzinger. “But despite strong public support, she has ignored the problem of growing poverty and inequality in BC.”

In a recent poll, 76% of British Columbians said they supported a $15/hour minimum wage, and 83% said that a person working full-time should not be living below the poverty line.

There are over 100,000 people earning minimum wage ($10.45/hour) in BC, and nearly half-a-million earning less than $15/hour.

“Today, low-wage workers are one step closer to being lifted out of poverty. That is something to applaud,” said Lanzinger.